THE PATTY LEGACY THAT SPURS JOCK
Mills revered for his culture stance
PATTY Mills is a tough act to follow anytime or anywhere, let alone in San Antonio.
Mills made the Texas city home for over a decade to become a fan favourite with the Spurs’ faithful.
The Canberra-born guard also set a powerful precedent on the cultural front in San Antonio through his actions, on and off the court.
Now put yourself in Jock Landale’s shoes. Landale arrived at the Spurs this season as an NBA rookie and the only Aussie player following Mills’ multimillion-dollar move to Brooklyn Nets.
He freely says he’ll never replace Patty’s near-perfection at the Spurs, but he feels an obligation to continue the respected guard’s high standards, especially when it comes to culture.
It’s why Landale has been bombarding Mills with messages for tips about how to maximise his time at San Antonio.
“You talk to people within the Spurs club about Patty and they tell you he was a pro beyond belief,” Landale said about Mills, who returns to San Antonio for the first time as a Net on Saturday.
“His legacy here is huge, so I’m now taking aspects away from that and I’m texting him all the time to ask questions, like ‘is there a chef I should link up with’? ‘Or a nutritionist’?
“I’m just trying to pick his brain about continuing to grow and maximising my body to its full capacity.’’
Landale is so competitive he blows up when he loses a casual game of cards or chess.
This determination to win has made it difficult for Landale to deal with a challenging maiden NBA season due to Covid, concussion and limited playing time.
Landale conceded it has been a “mental grind” to stay focused when he spent more time on the sidelines than the court to start the season.
The Aussie big man has plenty of people in his corner, including Boomers assistant coach Matt Nielsen, who
has been elevated as an assistant at the Spurs. Nielsen has gone out of his way to look after Landale as he finds his feet in a reduced role compared to his time in the NBL as a starting star with Melbourne United.
“Matty has been massive in explaining those things to me,” Landale said. “I’m not going to be the MVP of the NBL with San Antonio Spurs and I’ve got to find my niche and fit into that.
“He knows me better than anyone else who is here, so he can help me play to my strengths.’’
Landale has also lent heavily on his childhood idol and mentor, Andrew Bogut, for support, with up to five text messages a week. Couple that with expert tips from Bogut’s podcast co-host, Mike Procopio, a former video scout for Kobe Bryant.
“Both Bogues and Mike have been massive in reaching out after every single game; that is just a guarantee,” Landale said.
“It is pointers, it is what I’ve done well — advice that you don’t necessarily get from your coaching staff because they are on to the next scout and game.’’
On Saturday, Landale will take on his Boomers buddy Mills when Brooklyn travels to San Antonio. Spurs guard Dejounte Murray is expecting Spurs fans to roll out the carpet for Mills. “It better be loud,” he said. “San Antonio better come out and show their appreciation for him. “He was here a long time, he won here, and he loves this city a lot.’’